Missing: Sister
by hunterofcomedy
Summary: Ten years is a long time. Not seeing someone you love and promised to take care of for such a long time can change your perspective on life. Byakuya Kuchiki has spent a long time trying to find his sister, what will happen when he finds her with a certain orange haired young man? AU. Implied IchiRuki.


Missing: Sister

Summary: Ten years is a long time. Not seeing someone you love and promised to take care of for such a long time can change your perspective on life. Byakuya Kuchiki has spent a long time trying to find his sister, what will happen when he finds her with a certain orange haired young man? AU. Implied IchiRuki.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any character used in this story. They belong to Tite Kubo.

* * *

"Your sister has been found."

Those words sent Byakuya Kuchiki on an emotion spiral that he didn't believe he was capable of feeling. Not since his sister, Rukia Kuchiki, had disappeared over ten years ago without a trace. Well, not exactly no trace at all.

Rukia had been thoughtful enough to leave a note expressing her distain and demanding him not to search for her. Her request was not heeded by her brother but initial investigations came up with nothing.

So as he sat behind the desk in his office, he was almost skeptical of the private detective on the other side of the line.

"You are sure, Abarai? This isn't merely a rumor or possible sighting?" He kept his voice calm and collected, belying the hope that was building up inside.

He heard a sigh over the phone, "Yes, I'm sure it's her and it's not a sighting. I confirmed it myself, personally. I found out where she lives." Byakuya's eyes widened and the detective continued, "I'm sending the file with all the information I've gathered to your private email, as per usual. Everything from where she lives to what she's been doing for the last few years is in it."

Byakuya could hardly believe what he was hearing. After so long, he had finally been able to find his adoptive sister. A part of him was relieved, but a larger part was terrified. How was she faring in the last ten years? Did she stay out of contact on purpose or had tragic circumstances kept her from reaching him? Would she even be pleased to see him again?

Despite all his fears, all Byakuya could say was, "Thank you. I will review the file later. I will transfer your payment after I've confirmed its validity."

"Alright, that sounds fine. Take care."

Just before the detective hung up, Byakuya said, "Renji…I feel that I must apologize for my rude behavior the last time we spoke."

Over the phone, he heard Renji chuckle. "Well, if I had hired a private detective, not to mention a former employee, to find my sister and they couldn't find any substantial information for almost ten years, I'd be pretty upset too. I'm just sorry it took so long."

"Be that as it may," Byakuya continued, "My words were uncalled for and I sincerely apologize."

"Hey, no problem. Just do me one favor," Renji's voice became firm, "Don't be so hard on her. She was like a sister to me growing up and while I don't know what caused her to run, I'm sure she had her reasons."

"…I need to be going. Thank you for your help, Renji."

Byakuya didn't wait for the detective to reply before he clicked his phone shut. He thought about what Renji had said to him and sighed. It was obvious that Rukia's disappearance had affected him greatly, believing that his childhood friend would come to him if she needed help. However, at the time of her departure, Renji had been working as Byakuya's assistant so it wasn't completely unexpected.

Nevertheless, Byakuya was the one that felt the most betrayed and hurt by her departure. And even more than that, he never forgave himself for being the cause of her disappearance.

* * *

_Ten Years Ago_

"_What is _this_?" _

_Rukia stood in the doorway to her brother's study, a ceremonial white kimono in her hands. It was exactly her size and had been woven recently. It bore the symbol of her family's crest and seemed rather expensive. The most shocking fact was that she recognized the pattern of the design. _

_A wedding kimono. _

_Byakuya turned and looked back to her, his features cold. "It is exactly what it appears to be." _

_The young woman with shoulder raven haired slowly walked into the room and closed the door behind her quietly. She glared at her adoptive brother as she walked up to him and set the kimono down on his desk. _

"_Brother, we discussed this and came to an understanding." She narrowed her eyes and angrily stared at the kimono before shooting her glare to her brother. "You promised that you wouldn't allow the Elders to arrange a marriage for me as long as I agreed to inherit the Kuchiki legacy and take over your company once you retired."_

_Byakuya didn't return her gaze, merely continuing to his paperwork. "That is what I agreed to, yes." _

"_Then explain why I'm supposed to meet my 'fiancé', a man I've never met, tomorrow at noon to discuss our wedding plans." _

_Her tone shocked him and finally he turned to face her. The moment he did, a strange feeling washed over him. Never in his life had he felt intimidated by anyone, not even the Elders. However, Rukia's piercing violet eyes seemed to bare into his very soul and for a moment, he felt regret for his decision. _

_Outwardly, he appeared completely calm and knew that he could not afford to show weakness, not even to his adoptive sister. _

_Instead, he glared back at her and said, "As you said, I promised that I would not arrange a marriage for you if you inherited the Kuchiki legacy. However, despite being the head of the Kuchiki House, I am compelled to consent to the wishes of the Elders." _

_Rukia's eyes widened a bit and a look of realization overtook her features. _

"_It is as you suspect," Byakuya continued, "They demanded that an heir to the Kuchiki House be named and would not accept you due to your adoption. And with my wife passed, I have no heir…and so the responsibility falls to you—"._

"_You tricked me," she seethed, gritting her teeth. _

_The hurt of betrayal was all that registered on her face. Deep beneath his cold exterior, Byakuya could not deny the feelings of guilt and frustration that plagued him over this decision. However, he could not prolong the Elder's command and had to make a decision. _

"_It was not meant to be this way," Byakuya explained, "I intended to keep my word to you. I spent a great deal of time trying to convince the Elders that our arrangement would—"._

"_Obviously it didn't go as you planned," Rukia interrupted, her icy glare returning. "Five years we've been a family. And in that time, you always kept your word and I was sure that I could rely on you if I needed to. I was proud to call you my brother, but it seems that my trust was misplaced." _

_Despite the pain her words caused him, Byakuya said, "I have a duty to uphold the laws of my House. I swore that I would not break the laws of my clan a third time—"._

_Confusion overtook Rukia and she asked, "A third time? What are you talking about?" _

_Byakuya inwardly cursed, his slip up not improving the situation. Rukia looked to him in expectation, demanding that he explain himself. He knew that there was no way keep the truth from her anymore, regardless of how much he wanted to. He considered for a moment and in the end, decided that perhaps telling her the truth would help ease her situation._

_He turned his gaze away from her and asked, "Do you remember what I told you, about why I had you formally adopted into the Kuchiki House?"_

_Although a bit confused, Rukia answered, "Yes. You said it was because I resembled your late wife, Hisana." _

_Hearing her name spoken caused Byakuya to inwardly shudder but he kept his composure as he continued. _

"_That wasn't entirely true," out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rukia blink in confusion. "It is true that you resemble…Hisana, greatly. But that wasn't reason I adopted you. I did it because…Hisana was your sister." _

_Her turned back to see Rukia's eyes widened and shock written across her face. She was unable to ask the obvious questions, far too shocked by this realization. However, Byakuya could see the desire for answers in her eyes and so he regretfully continued. _

"_I met Hisana many years ago and grew to love her. However, she was an orphan and the Elders opposed our marriage. I disobeyed the laws and married her regardless." He watched Rukia slowly take this in and she began to calm herself. _

"_I had a sister?" she whispered, as if trying to process the information, "Why didn't I ever hear about this?" _

_Rukia looked to Byakuya for answers and he said, "You were separated from your sister while you were an infant. She spent almost the entirety of her life searching for you, until her health began to fail." He paused, gathering his courage. "On her deathbed, I promised her that I would find you…and give you the home she always wanted to you have. And then, one year after her passing, I found you." _

_Breathing carefully, Rukia sat there and absorbed this information quietly. Then, after a few moments, she said, "And you broke the laws a second time, to allow me into the Kuchiki House." _

_Byakuya nodded. He opened his mouth to speak but was stopped when Rukia's eyes shot to his, a fierce glare on her face. _

"_And all this time, you kept this from me." _

_The ferocity of her voice startled him and allowed her to continue, "For five years, you kept me in the dark regarding my sister and now, when I'm about to be married off for your convenience, you finally tell me the truth."_

_The hurt and betrayal she felt washed over him and Byakuya had to fight to keep from losing his cool composure. _

"_I merely did what I thought was best for you—"._

"_Then why did you break your promise and let the Elders arrange a marriage?" she interrupted angrily. _

_Although he appeared calm, it was clear that Byakuya was beginning to become frustrated with her attitude, despite understanding her reasons. _

"_I promised Hisana that I would look after you. This marriage would ensure your financial stability—"._

"_I can take care of myself, Brother," she insisted, "I don't need to get married to ensure that I will be financial stable."_

"_You have done well thus far, that I will admit. But you cannot expect to run my company without the support of the Elders and they won't give their consent without assurance that you will provide a worthy heir," Byakuya explained. _

_However, Rukia huffed and replied, "I see that the Elders' wishes mean more to you than the promises you've made. Both to me…and my sister."_

_Finally, Byakuya's temper began to come out and he angrily glared at her. _

"_This marriage benefits you because it benefits the Kuchiki name. That is what you agreed to when you decided to inherit the Kuchiki legacy." His words were harsh but she didn't back down from them, matching his glare and listening patiently as he continued, "We will speak of this matter another time. After you have met with your future husband." _

_Rukia's eyes narrowed but Byakuya ignored and turned away from her. _

"_We have nothing more to discuss. You may go," he said, returning to his paperwork._

_Slowly, he heard Rukia get up and make her way to the door. Just before she left, he heard her turn back to him and say, "You're right about one thing, Byakuya. We have nothing more to discuss."_

_For the first time in his entire life, Byakuya's voice caught in his throat and he was rendered speechless. The door was quietly closed and he was left alone, in the deafening silence he'd surrounded himself with. _

_Later that evening, when Byakuya went to apologize for his behavior, he found a note on Rukia's desk with a single line written on it:_

Don't look for me. We are no longer family, Byakuya.

_On that day, Byakuya Kuchiki's entire world crumbled and all that was left was a broken man._

* * *

Stepping off the plane that had just landed, Byakuya Kuchiki pulled out a piece of paper with an address he'd written on it. It was Rukia's current address, in a place called Karakura Town.

From the airport window, he looked out over the town and sighed. Despite the name, Karakura Town was, in fact, a large city with a huge suburban and industrial area. It was far away from his company's headquarters in Tokyo and just small enough that no one would think to look for Rukia here.

After renting a car and checking into his hotel, Byakuya set out to reunite with his long lost sister. However, even as he navigated the streets of the suburban area, he wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say to her when he saw her again. He wanted to apologize but knew that words would never be enough to fix what he'd done.

The idea of her slamming the door in his face terrified him because she would have every right to and he could not help feeling that he deserved it. Despite that, he knew that he had to face her.

Along with that, other fears began to build up in his mind. What if she was in financial trouble? He could help her but knew she would never accept his help. Not to mention that she had always been a hard worker.

When Rukia had disappeared, Byakuya had found her personal banking account, that only she could access, had been drained and closed. Everything in that account had been earned solely by her, without the need for his aid. It was her testament that she could earn a living herself.

Another fear that invaded his mind, was that she might have become reckless and gotten involved with the wrong kind of people. After all, if anyone discovered the connection she had to him, her life would become a target for his many enemies. Even though Renji had assured him that she had changed her family name a few years ago, it didn't guarantee that a connection couldn't be made to her old name somehow.

"I will have to see for myself," Byakuya said aloud to himself as he continued to drive to his destination, "This is something I must deal with on my own."

As he reached the street that the address indicated, Byakuya stopped the car further up the road. Parking by the side of the road, he began to gather his things before something caught his eyes. His head slowly turned and a few houses down, he saw the person he'd been searching for.

A petite woman with raven hair stood outside a house that had a big sign on the front of it. The sign read: Kurosaki Clinic. Even though her back was to him, Byakuya was certain that it was Rukia.

Byakuya's breathing became ragged as he took in his sister's visage. Her raven hair had been cropped into a bob that framed her face and she wore a simple yellow sundress. She appeared to be in good health, that much was clear. Slowly, she turned and faced his direction, obviously not seeing him inside the nearby car.

Her violet eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun as she smiled down at something in her arms. It took Byakuya all of a moment to realize what she held. A raven haired baby was sleeping soundly in her arms.

As his eyes widened in shock, someone came out of the house and approached them. A tall man with bright orange hair walked up to them and tapped Rukia on the head, getting her attention. As if gravity increased only for him, Byakuya was unable to move as he watched the pair interact with each other.

The orange haired man scowled as he made a comment that cause Rukia to raise an eyebrow before kicking the man in the shin. The young man yelped as Rukia huffed and turned away, grinning and speaking to the baby. Recovering from the attack, the orange haired man peaked around her side to speak with the baby, earning a laugh from the small child.

A moment later, Byakuya watched as Rukia stepped up on her toes and kissed the orange haired man as he leaned down to her. His fists tightened on the steering wheel and Byakuya immediately developed a hatred for the orange haired man.

How dare he touch his sister like that?! And when she obviously had a child that couldn't possibly…be…his…

"It can't be," Byakuya whispered to himself, not wanting to accept what he'd just seen.

To his surprise, Rukia kissed the orange haired man again and smiled, saying something that appeared to be an insult. However, the scowling young man surprisingly changed his attitude and smiled down at her. He gave a quick retort and then something utterly shocking happened.

Rukia began to laugh heartily.

Byakuya's eyes widened as he saw this. Never in all his life had he seen his sister laugh, not even once. He had rarely even seen her smile, let alone grin or poke fun at anyone. And for the most part, she looked completely and utterly…happy.

Something inside Byakuya twisted and he felt a mixture of hurt and contentment.

He watched as Rukia disengaged from the orange haired man, who was carrying a medical bag, and let him kiss the baby good-bye before he got into his car and drove away in the opposite direction of Byakuya. After the orange haired man had departed, Rukia said something to the baby and smiled brightly before walking back inside the Kurosaki Clinic.

All at once, Byakuya suddenly lost the nerve he'd spent the last few hours building up. Turning the car around, he drove away from Rukia's home.

"I need to know more," Byakuya concluded, driving back to his hotel.

* * *

After a cold shower, Byakuya opened up his laptop and connected to his private email. He sat at the desk in the penthouse suite of one of the most expensive hotel's in Karakura Town. It was on the top floor and overlooked the rest of the city. This window in particular had a great view of the suburban area, overlooking the area where Rukia resided.

However, Byakuya was entirely preoccupied with the file that Renji had sent him days ago. Byakuya scrolled down the file, reading every last piece of information thoroughly. He had only briefly scanned it the first time, learning his sister's location being his top priority last time. However, this time he had an entirely new purpose for combing the file.

"I am sure that no mention of that orange haired boy was mentioned in—", Byakuya said to himself just before he came to a small paragraph near the bottom of the file.

_Rukia is currently living with a man who has bright orange hair. He is in his late twenties and only a year or two younger than your sister. He is the current owner of the Kurosaki Clinic and works as a physician and doctor for local patients. He even preforms minor surgeries at Kurakura Hospital upon occasion._

"Hm…" Byakuya embarrassedly mused, "I must have overlooked that."

He scrolled up and began to read all the information about his sister that Renji had acquired. The first and most important thing that stuck out to him was that her name had officially been changed.

She was now known as Rukia Kurosaki.

She had a Master's Degree in Accounting and a Bachelor's in Fine Arts, specifically Artistry, from the University of Karakura. Apparently, she currently was employed with Shihoin Accounts and worked online from home. She managed both this job and the finances of the Kurosaki Clinic.

A lump appeared in Byakuya's throat as he began to piece the information together.

This orange haired man, who was obviously the father of her child, was also her husband. By the look of things, she had married him several years ago. At the very least, this made Byakuya breathe a sigh of relief because this meant the marriage was not because she had become pregnant.

The only real issue was that one look at that orange haired man had caused Byakuya to utterly hate him with all his being.

However, somehow this scowling and seemingly rude man was capable of making his sister smile, much to Byakuya's surprise and dismay. The orange haired man did not seem worthy of his sister. But then again, in Byakuya's opinion, no man would ever truly be worthy of her.

In the end, the only thing that kept Byakuya from hunting down the orange haired bastard was the fact that somehow, against all odds, he was able to make Rukia laugh and smile with all her heart. And, unfortunately, that far outweighed all of the hatred that Byakuya held for the rude man.

All of this suggested that, despite his apprehension about this situation, Rukia did in fact care about and love both her husband and their child. And more than anything else, her life was filled with happiness.

Pushing back from his laptop, Byakuya rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Slowly, he leaned forward and glanced to the picture in a frame he'd brought with him on this trip. The framed picture was of his late wife, Hisana, smiling warmly. He reached out and picked up the picture.

As he held the image close, he allowed a sad smile to grace his lips.

* * *

It was nearly 10PM when Byakuya finally gathered the courage to stand in front of the door to the Kurosaki Clinic.

He breathed heavily and did his best to keep his composure. A part of him thought it might be best to just leave and return home. After all, his presence alone might cause undue harm to his sister and he didn't want that. He'd seen that she was alright and well taken care of.

Shouldn't that be enough?

However, his pride demanded that he make amends with this sister. And if Byakuya Kuchiki was anything, he was a stubborn man that held his pride in high regard. And so, as he heard the voice of his sister and her…husband, behind the door, he reached out and knocked loudly.

A silence greeted him until a gruff voice from inside said.

"Who the hell would be visiting at this time of night?"

"Ichigo, don't use that kind of language around Hisana. I don't need our daughter picking up your habits and having to contend with the two of you."

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry."

That interaction reached Byakuya's ears and all of his fears and apprehensions seemed to vanish. Hearing the way his sister had spoken to her husband made Byakuya realize that Rukia was still the same as she always was. And that eased his heart more than anything else he'd seen today. Not to mention hearing the name of his niece for the first time made his heart swell with joy.

Slowly, the door opened and in front of him stood Rukia.

She looked up at her brother and a bottle of baby formula dropped from her hand. Her eyes widened in shock and she could only stare at him. Byakuya found himself lost for words as he stared into her bewildered face. After a few moments of silence, it was Rukia that finally spoke.

"B-Brother…"

Rukia bent down and picked up the baby formula but maintained eye contact, unsure of what to do. It was then that she saw her brother's lips turn upward and for the first time in her life, she saw him smiling down at her.

"It is good to see you again…Rukia."

His words were soft and gentle, the expression on his face warm and soothing. Seeing this, Rukia knew that he was not here for reasons she had long feared. Almost against her will, she smiled warmly back at him and slowly walked toward him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.

Although shaken up at the sudden contact, Byakuya slowly returned the embrace and smiled down at her. They pulled apart and stared at each other in silence for a time before her brother asked, "May I come in?"

Rukia smiled and nodded. "Of course," she turned around and headed back into the house, "You can meet my husband, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Unbeknownst to Rukia, the moment that man's name was spoken, Byakuya frowned and whispered, "…Oh, I can't wait…"

With a melancholy look on his face, Byakuya closed the door and went to see his sister's family.

* * *

**The End**

**Hello my beautiful readers! I had this idea yesterday and thought that it would be a fun one-shot to write! Even with Byakuya being as stern and stubborn as he is, I've always thought he was pretty damn awesome! XD**

**Not only that, to me he always seemed like an older and wiser version of Ichigo. Both of them were hot-headed and arrogant when they were young but as they get older, they mature and we see that they have more in common than we originally thought. **

**But yeah, I wanted to write from Byakuya's perspective and see his opinion of this situation instead of from Rukia's or Ichigo's. I hope you all liked it and please leave me a review to tell me what you think of it! **

**-Hunter of Comedy**


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